Alfredo Jahn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr. Alfredo Jahn Hartmann
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| Born | 8 October 1867 |
| Died | 12 July 1940 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Venezuelan |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Civil engineering, botany and geography |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | Al.Jahn |
Dr. Alfredo Jahn Hartmann (born October 8, 1867 – died July 12, 1940) was a famous Venezuelan civil engineer, botanist, and geographer. He was also a brave explorer and mountain climber. Jahn was a member of important groups like the Academy of History and the Venezuelan Society of Natural Sciences. He even received a special award called the Order of the Liberator. A large cave in Venezuela, "Cueva Alfredo Jahn," is named after him. In 1911, he became the first person to climb to the top of Pico Humboldt in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida mountain range in Venezuela.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alfredo Jahn was born in Caracas, Venezuela. His father was Friedrich Gottfried Alfred Jahn Wassmann, and his mother was Eugenia Hartmann, who was from Bremen, Germany. When Alfredo was about nine years old, he went to Hanover, Germany, to attend school. He also studied in Torgau, where he received military training.
Later, he returned to Caracas for family reasons. He continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. There, he focused on natural sciences, learning from a well-known scientist named Adolf Ernst.
On July 25, 1891, Alfredo Jahn married Aurelia Lopez. They had ten children together.
Alfredo Jahn's Career
Jahn finished his studies in 1886. He quickly started working as an assistant engineer on railway construction projects. The next year, he helped with the early plans for a big railroad. This railroad would connect Caracas to Valencia and then extend to San Carlos.
He worked with German Jimenez on a national plan for highways and railroads in Venezuela. Jahn was in charge of building the railroad from Caracas to Valencia. He also built the highway that goes from Caracas to El Junquito.
Scientific Expeditions and Discoveries
In 1887, Jahn joined a scientific trip to the upper Orinoco river. This expedition was ordered by President Antonio Guzmán Blanco. On this trip, Jahn helped map geographical locations. He also collected many plants and ancient objects. These items are now kept in museums in the US and Germany.
Jahn was responsible for the geography and botany parts of the trip. He started measuring and mapping mountain ranges, cities, and other places between Valencia and Caracas. He also created a detailed map of the Lake Valencia area. He went on several other scientific trips to the western part of Venezuela.
Jahn was both a geographer and a botanist. These two fields worked well together because both needed a lot of exploration. He measured and mapped the Venezuelan Coastal Range. He also lived with the Orinoco Indians in western Venezuela. He wrote books about their customs and languages. As a botanist, he identified and classified many plants in Venezuela. He even gave plant samples to the Smithsonian Institution. He wrote a book about the Palms of Venezuela, called the Palms of the Flora Venezuelana, published in 1908.
Recognitions and Legacy
Alfredo Jahn was a founding member of the Venezuelan Society of Natural Sciences. He served as its president in 1935 and 1937. He received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Hamburg. He also received a medal from the Berlin Geographical Society. The Order of the Liberator was another important award he earned.
The famous Alfredo Jahn Cave in Miranda state is named after him. It is the sixth largest cave in Venezuela.
The following plant species are named after him:
- Annona jahnii Saff.
See also
In Spanish: Alfredo Jahn para niños
